Parents to Sue Rutgers Over Son's Suicide

One college student’s suicide has brought his parents to sue his school. On Friday, the parents of Tyler Clementi notified Rutgers University that they intend to sue the school over their son’s September suicide.

Clementi jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge after a webcam video of him being intimate with another man was allegedly broadcasted on the Internet.

Joseph and Jane Clementi’s attorney, Stephen DeFeo, said the university did not protect the college freshman from “unlawful or otherwise improper acts perpetrated against (him.)”

DeFeo filed the notice stating “It appears Rutgers University failed to act, failed to put in place and/or failed to implement, and enforce policies and practices that would have prevented or deterred such acts, and that Rutgers failed to act timely and appropriately.”

Rutgers’ spokesman, E.G. Miranda, said that while the university sends out condolences to the family, the school does not take responsibility for the suicide.

“We at the university share the family’s sense of loss of their son, who was a member of our community,” Miranda said. “We also recognize that a grieving family may question whether someone or some institution could somehow have responsibility for their son’s death. While the university understands this reaction, the university is not responsible for Tyler Clementi’s suicide.”

Freshman Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei, who allegedly took part in setting up the webcam video, are charged with invasion of privacy. The two have withdrawn from Rutgers and their trial date has not been set. Both have pleaded not guilty.